Published: Monday, January 28, 2013 at 3:07 p.m.

Last Modified: Monday, January 28, 2013 at 3:07 p.m.

An American flag rippled in the breeze Monday outside an Etowah home where detectives say a disabled veteran killed his 71-year-old father the night before during a “significant altercation.”

Residents in the otherwise peaceful Penncross Estates subdivision were shocked to learn that the neighbor who smiled and waved, but generally kept to himself, was charged with killing the only visitor they saw him with.

“I need an ambulance here immediately. My father just went berserk and he just passed out on the floor... I’m scared. I think he’s dead,” Michael Stephen Walker, 44, reported in an even tone to a 911 dispatcher at 9:46 p.m. Sunday.

Squad cars and crime scene tape still surrounded the Penncross condominium Monday as investigators worked to piece together the puzzle of what happened to Gerald “Jerry” Walker of Lilburn, Ga., a city in the Atlanta metropolitan area.

Michael Walker told a 911 dispatcher that his father had suffered a heart attack. Deputies with the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office had their doubts.

Michael Walker told a 911 dispatcher that he had fought with his father for almost an hour.

“He attacked me. The place is terrible,” he said.

When asked why they were fighting, Michael Walker replied, “He was just going crazy at me, screaming at me.”

He told the dispatcher that his father attacked him and he defended himself.

“He’s all bruised up. He’s hit me. I mean, it’s been going on for an hour,” Michael Walker said in the call. “I fought. We fought. He fell down. He’s bruised. I’m bruised.”

Officers arrived at 24 Sagebrush Circle and were met by Michael Walker, who lived at the home owned by his father. Michael Walker told officers that he and his father had fought about 10 minutes before he called 911 and that his father must have had a heart attack, according to a news release from the sheriff’s office.

“When we get there it’s very obvious that person had been deceased for quite some time,” said Capt. Frank Stout. The father’s condition didn’t jive with the timeline in Michael Walker’s version of events, according to the release. Detectives were puzzled how he was able to administer CPR chest compressions, according to the 911 tape, while keeping a phone to his ear and without heavy, labored breathing.

Deputies also “immediately smelled a strong odor of bleach,” which Stout said “is an indicator that someone may be trying to clean a crime scene.”

“There were obvious signs there was much more to this than a heart attack,” Stout said. “We don’t know if there was a heart attack.”

Deputies noted there were signs of a struggle.

“There was a pretty significant altercation between father and son,” Stout said. There was also an “indication that alcohol may have been involved,” he added.

Jerry Walker had been staying with son for about 12 days, Stout said.

Michael Walker was charged with Henderson County’s first homicide of 2013. He remains in the Henderson County Detention Facility under no bond as the investigation continues.

An autopsy to determine Jerry Walker’s exact cause of death is scheduled for Tuesday morning.

Florence Perry, who lives in a condo near Michael Walker, was surprised to hear her neighbor had been arrested for murder. The community is usually very quiet, she said, “everybody gets along.”

Jackie and Lem Corlis, who were out walking their dogs, said that they hardly ever see a squad car in the neighborhood they’ve called home for five years.

A call from Penncross Estates is very rare, Stout said. “It’s a good community.”

He added that they had no calls to the residence in the past for domestic violence.

Carol Harris, who has lived in the community at least five years, said Jerry Walker was the only person she recalled visiting her neighbor, and he visited often.

Harris bumped into the two at the community pool over the summer.

“They were both just very, very nice people,” she said, adding that they seemed to get along well. The younger Walker would often wave and say “hello.”

Harris said she never heard or saw anything Sunday night that seemed suspicious.

Russell Williams, a former police officer of 18 years from Charleston, W.Va., said he noticed the squad cars and crime scene tape Monday morning. He chatted with Michael Walker, a fellow veteran like himself, when he moved into the complex in November.

“He was a good guy ... He stayed to himself a lot,” Williams said, adding that he understands some veterans prefer to be alone.

<p>An American flag rippled in the breeze Monday outside an Etowah home where detectives say a disabled veteran killed his 71-year-old father the night before during a “significant altercation.” </p><p>Residents in the otherwise peaceful Penncross Estates subdivision were shocked to learn that the neighbor who smiled and waved, but generally kept to himself, was charged with killing the only visitor they saw him with.</p><p>“I need an ambulance here immediately. My father just went berserk and he just passed out on the floor... I'm scared. I think he's dead,” Michael Stephen Walker, 44, reported in an even tone to a 911 dispatcher at 9:46 p.m. Sunday. </p><p>Squad cars and crime scene tape still surrounded the Penncross condominium Monday as investigators worked to piece together the puzzle of what happened to Gerald “Jerry” Walker of Lilburn, Ga., a city in the Atlanta metropolitan area. </p><p>Michael Walker told a 911 dispatcher that his father had suffered a heart attack. Deputies with the Henderson County Sheriff's Office had their doubts.</p><p>Michael Walker told a 911 dispatcher that he had fought with his father for almost an hour.</p><p>“He attacked me. The place is terrible,” he said. </p><p>When asked why they were fighting, Michael Walker replied, “He was just going crazy at me, screaming at me.” </p><p>He told the dispatcher that his father attacked him and he defended himself. </p><p>“He's all bruised up. He's hit me. I mean, it's been going on for an hour,” Michael Walker said in the call. “I fought. We fought. He fell down. He's bruised. I'm bruised.”</p><p>Officers arrived at 24 Sagebrush Circle and were met by Michael Walker, who lived at the home owned by his father. Michael Walker told officers that he and his father had fought about 10 minutes before he called 911 and that his father must have had a heart attack, according to a news release from the sheriff's office.</p><p>“When we get there it's very obvious that person had been deceased for quite some time,” said Capt. Frank Stout. The father's condition didn't jive with the timeline in Michael Walker's version of events, according to the release. Detectives were puzzled how he was able to administer CPR chest compressions, according to the 911 tape, while keeping a phone to his ear and without heavy, labored breathing.</p><p>Deputies also “immediately smelled a strong odor of bleach,” which Stout said “is an indicator that someone may be trying to clean a crime scene.”</p><p>“There were obvious signs there was much more to this than a heart attack,” Stout said. “We don't know if there was a heart attack.”</p><p>Deputies noted there were signs of a struggle. </p><p>“There was a pretty significant altercation between father and son,” Stout said. There was also an “indication that alcohol may have been involved,” he added.</p><p>Jerry Walker had been staying with son for about 12 days, Stout said.</p><p>Michael Walker was charged with Henderson County's first homicide of 2013. He remains in the Henderson County Detention Facility under no bond as the investigation continues. </p><p>An autopsy to determine Jerry Walker's exact cause of death is scheduled for Tuesday morning.</p><p>Florence Perry, who lives in a condo near Michael Walker, was surprised to hear her neighbor had been arrested for murder. The community is usually very quiet, she said, “everybody gets along.”</p><p>Jackie and Lem Corlis, who were out walking their dogs, said that they hardly ever see a squad car in the neighborhood they've called home for five years.</p><p>A call from Penncross Estates is very rare, Stout said. “It's a good community.” </p><p>He added that they had no calls to the residence in the past for domestic violence.</p><p>Carol Harris, who has lived in the community at least five years, said Jerry Walker was the only person she recalled visiting her neighbor, and he visited often. </p><p>Harris bumped into the two at the community pool over the summer. </p><p>“They were both just very, very nice people,” she said, adding that they seemed to get along well. The younger Walker would often wave and say “hello.” </p><p>Harris said she never heard or saw anything Sunday night that seemed suspicious.</p><p>Russell Williams, a former police officer of 18 years from Charleston, W.Va., said he noticed the squad cars and crime scene tape Monday morning. He chatted with Michael Walker, a fellow veteran like himself, when he moved into the complex in November. </p><p>“He was a good guy ... He stayed to himself a lot,” Williams said, adding that he understands some veterans prefer to be alone.</p><p>Reach Weaver at emily.weaver@blueridgenow.com or 828-694-7867.</p>